Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
SECOND DIVISION
G.R. No. 178087 May 5, 2010
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Petitioner,
vs.
KUDOS METAL CORPORATION, Respondent.
DECISION
DEL CASTILLO, J.:
The prescriptive period on when to assess taxes benefits both the government and the
taxpayer.1 Exceptions extending the period to assess must, therefore, be strictly
construed.
This Petition for Review on Certiorari seeks to set aside the Decision2 dated March 30,
2007 of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) affirming the cancellation of the assessment
notices for having been issued beyond the prescriptive period and the Resolution 3 dated
May 18, 2007 denying the motion for reconsideration.
Factual Antecedents
On April 15, 1999, respondent Kudos Metal Corporation filed its Annual Income Tax
Return (ITR) for the taxable year 1998.
Pursuant to a Letter of Authority dated September 7, 1999, the Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR) served upon respondent three Notices of Presentation of Records.
Respondent failed to comply with these notices, hence, the BIR issued a Subpeona
Duces Tecum dated September 21, 2006, receipt of which was acknowledged by
respondent’s President, Mr. Chan Ching Bio, in a letter dated October 20, 2000.
A review and audit of respondent’s records then ensued.
On December 10, 2001, Nelia Pasco (Pasco), respondent’s accountant, executed a
Waiver of the Defense of Prescription,4 which was notarized on January 22, 2002,
received by the BIR Enforcement Service on January 31, 2002 and by the BIR Tax
Fraud Division on February 4, 2002, and accepted by the Assistant Commissioner of the
Enforcement Service, Percival T. Salazar (Salazar).
This was followed by a second Waiver of Defense of Prescription 5 executed by Pasco
on February 18, 2003, notarized on February 19, 2003, received by the BIR Tax Fraud
Division on February 28, 2003 and accepted by Assistant Commissioner Salazar.
On August 25, 2003, the BIR issued a Preliminary Assessment Notice for the taxable
year 1998 against the respondent. This was followed by a Formal Letter of Demand with
Assessment Notices for taxable year 1998, dated September 26, 2003 which was
received by respondent on November 12, 2003.
Respondent challenged the assessments by filing its "Protest on Various Tax
Assessments" on December 3, 2003 and its "Legal Arguments and Documents in
Support of Protests against Various Assessments" on February 2, 2004.
On June 22, 2004, the BIR rendered a final Decision 6 on the matter, requesting the immediate
payment of the following tax liabilities:
Kind of Tax Amount
Income Tax P 9,693,897.85
VAT 13,962,460.90
EWT 1,712,336.76
Withholding Tax-Compensation 247,353.24
Penalties 8,000.00

Total P25,624,048.76

Ruling of the Court of Tax Appeals, Second Division

Believing that the government’s right to assess taxes had prescribed, respondent filed on
August 27, 2004 a Petition for Review7 with the CTA. Petitioner in turn filed his
Answer.8
On April 11, 2005, respondent filed an "Urgent Motion for Preferential Resolution of the
Issue on Prescription."9
On October 4, 2005, the CTA Second Division issued a Resolution 10 canceling the
assessment notices issued against respondent for having been issued beyond the
prescriptive period. It found the first Waiver of the Statute of Limitations incomplete and
defective for failure to comply with the provisions of Revenue Memorandum Order
(RMO) No. 20-90. Thus:
First, the Assistant Commissioner is not the revenue official authorized to sign the
waiver, as the tax case involves more than P1,000,000.00. In this regard, only the
Commissioner is authorized to enter into agreement with the petitioner in extending the
period of assessment;
Secondly, the waiver failed to indicate the date of acceptance. Such date of acceptance is
necessary to determine whether the acceptance was made within the prescriptive period;
Third, the fact of receipt by the taxpayer of his file copy was not indicated on the
original copy. The requirement to furnish the taxpayer with a copy of the waiver is not
only to give notice of the existence of the document but also of the acceptance by the
BIR and the perfection of the agreement.1avvphi1
The subject waiver is therefore incomplete and defective. As such, the three-year
prescriptive period was not tolled or extended and continued to run. x x x11
Petitioner moved for reconsideration but the CTA Second Division denied the motion in
a Resolution12 dated April 18, 2006.
Ruling of the Court of Tax Appeals, En Banc
On appeal, the CTA En Banc affirmed the cancellation of the assessment notices.
Although it ruled that the Assistant Commissioner was authorized to sign the waiver
pursuant to Revenue Delegation Authority Order (RDAO) No. 05-01, it found that the
first waiver was still invalid based on the second and third grounds stated by the CTA
Second Division. Pertinent portions of the Decision read as follows:
While the Court En Banc agrees with the second and third grounds for invalidating the
first waiver, it finds that the Assistant Commissioner of the Enforcement Service is
authorized to sign the waiver pursuant to RDAO No. 05-01, which provides in part as
follows:
A. For National Office cases
Designated Revenue Official
1. Assistant Commissioner (ACIR), For tax fraud and policy Enforcement Service cases

2. ACIR, Large Taxpayers Service For large taxpayers cases other than those
cases falling under Subsection B hereof

3. ACIR, Legal Service For cases pending verification and awaiting resolution
of certain legal issues prior to prescription and for issuance/compliance of
Subpoena Duces Tecum

4. ACIR, Assessment Service (AS) For cases which are pending in or subject
to review or approval by the ACIR, AS

Based on the foregoing, the Assistant Commissioner, Enforcement Service is authorized

to sign waivers in tax fraud cases. A perusal of the records reveals that the investigation
of the subject deficiency taxes in this case was conducted by the National Investigation
Division of the BIR, which was formerly named the Tax Fraud Division. Thus, the
subject assessment is a tax fraud case.
Nevertheless, the first waiver is still invalid based on the second and third grounds stated
by the Court in Division. Hence, it did not extend the prescriptive period to assess.
Moreover, assuming arguendo that the first waiver is valid, the second waiver is invalid
for violating Section 222(b) of the 1997 Tax Code which mandates that the period
agreed upon in a waiver of the statute can still be extended by subsequent written
agreement, provided that it is executed prior to the expiration of the first period agreed
upon. As previously discussed, the exceptions to the law on prescription must be strictly
construed.
In the case at bar, the period agreed upon in the subject first waiver expired on
December 31, 2002. The second waiver in the instant case which was supposed to
extend the period to assess to December 31, 2003 was executed on February 18, 2003
and was notarized on February 19, 2003. Clearly, the second waiver was executed after
the expiration of the first period agreed upon. Consequently, the same could not have
tolled the 3-year prescriptive period to assess.13
Petitioner sought reconsideration but the same was unavailing.
Issue
Hence, the present recourse where petitioner interposes that:
THE COURT OF TAX APPEALS EN BANC ERRED IN RULING THAT THE
GOVERNMENT’S RIGHT TO ASSESS UNPAID TAXES OF RESPONDENT
PRESCRIBED.14

Petitioner’s Arguments
Petitioner argues that the government’s right to assess taxes is not barred by prescription
as the two waivers executed by respondent, through its accountant, effectively tolled or
extended the period within which the assessment can be made. In disputing the
conclusion of the CTA that the waivers are invalid, petitioner claims that respondent is
estopped from adopting a position contrary to what it has previously taken. Petitioner
insists that by acquiescing to the audit during the period specified in the waivers,
respondent led the government to believe that the "delay" in the process would not be
utilized against it. Thus, respondent may no longer repudiate the validity of the waivers
and raise the issue of prescription.
Respondent’s Arguments
Respondent maintains that prescription had set in due to the invalidity of the waivers
executed by Pasco, who executed the same without any written authority from it, in clear
violation of RDAO No. 5-01. As to the doctrine of estoppel by acquiescence relied upon
by petitioner, respondent counters that the principle of equity comes into play only when
the law is doubtful, which is not present in the instant case.
Our Ruling
The petition is bereft of merit.
Section 20315 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 (NIRC) mandates the
government to assess internal revenue taxes within three years from the last day
prescribed by law for the filing of the tax return or the actual date of filing of such
return, whichever comes later. Hence, an assessment notice issued after the three-year
prescriptive period is no longer valid and effective. Exceptions however are provided
under Section 22216 of the NIRC.
The waivers executed by respondent’s accountant did not extend the period within which
the assessment can be made
Petitioner does not deny that the assessment notices were issued beyond the three-year
prescriptive period, but claims that the period was extended by the two waivers executed
by respondent’s accountant.
We do not agree.
Section 222 (b) of the NIRC provides that the period to assess and collect taxes may
only be extended upon a written agreement between the CIR and the taxpayer executed
before the expiration of the three-year period. RMO 20-9017 issued on April 4, 1990 and
RDAO 05-0118 issued on August 2, 2001 lay down the procedure for the proper
execution of the waiver, to wit:
1. The waiver must be in the proper form prescribed by RMO 20-90. The phrase
"but not after ______ 19 ___", which indicates the expiry date of the period
agreed upon to assess/collect the tax after the regular three-year period of
prescription, should be filled up.
2. The waiver must be signed by the taxpayer himself or his duly authorized
representative. In the case of a corporation, the waiver must be signed by any of
its responsible officials. In case the authority is delegated by the taxpayer to a
representative, such delegation should be in writing and duly notarized.
3. The waiver should be duly notarized.
4. The CIR or the revenue official authorized by him must sign the waiver
indicating that the BIR has accepted and agreed to the waiver. The date of such
acceptance by the BIR should be indicated. However, before signing the waiver,
the CIR or the revenue official authorized by him must make sure that the waiver
is in the prescribed form, duly notarized, and executed by the taxpayer or his duly
authorized representative.
 5. Both the date of execution by the taxpayer and date of acceptance by the
Bureau should be before the expiration of the period of prescription or before the
lapse of the period agreed upon in case a subsequent agreement is executed.
6. The waiver must be executed in three copies, the original copy to be attached to
the docket of the case, the second copy for the taxpayer and the third copy for the
Office accepting the waiver. The fact of receipt by the taxpayer of his/her file
copy must be indicated in the original copy to show that the taxpayer was notified
of the acceptance of the BIR and the perfection of the agreement.19
A perusal of the waivers executed by respondent’s accountant reveals the following
infirmities:
1. The waivers were executed without the notarized written authority of Pasco to
sign the waiver in behalf of respondent.
2. The waivers failed to indicate the date of acceptance.
3. The fact of receipt by the respondent of its file copy was not indicated in the
original copies of the waivers.
Due to the defects in the waivers, the period to assess or collect taxes was not extended.
Consequently, the assessments were issued by the BIR beyond the three-year period and
are void.
Estoppel does not apply in this case
We find no merit in petitioner’s claim that respondent is now estopped from claiming
prescription since by executing the waivers, it was the one which asked for additional
time to submit the required documents.
In Collector of Internal Revenue v. Suyoc Consolidated Mining Company,20 the
doctrine of estoppel prevented the taxpayer from raising the defense of prescription
against the efforts of the government to collect the assessed tax. However, it must be
stressed that in the said case, estoppel was applied as an exception to the statute of
limitations on collection of taxes and not on the assessment of taxes, as the BIR was able
to make an assessment within the prescribed period. More important, there was a finding
that the taxpayer made several requests or positive acts to convince the government to
postpone the collection of taxes, viz:
It appears that the first assessment made against respondent based on its second final
return filed on November 28, 1946 was made on February 11, 1947. Upon receipt of this
assessment respondent requested for at least one year within which to pay the amount
assessed although it reserved its right to question the correctness of the assessment
before actual payment. Petitioner granted an extension of only three months. When it
failed to pay the tax within the period extended, petitioner sent respondent a letter on
November 28, 1950 demanding payment of the tax as assessed, and upon receipt of the
letter respondent asked for a reinvestigation and reconsideration of the assessment.
When this request was denied, respondent again requested for a reconsideration on April
25, 1952, which was denied on May 6, 1953, which denial was appealed to the
Conference Staff. The appeal was heard by the Conference Staff from September 2,
1953 to July 16, 1955, and as a result of these various negotiations, the assessment was
finally reduced on July 26, 1955. This is the ruling which is now being questioned after
a protracted negotiation on the ground that the collection of the tax has already
prescribed.
It is obvious from the foregoing that petitioner refrained from collecting the tax by
distraint or levy or by proceeding in court within the 5-year period from the filing of the
second amended final return due to the several requests of respondent for extension to
which petitioner yielded to give it every opportunity to prove its claim regarding the
correctness of the assessment. Because of such requests, several reinvestigations were
made and a hearing was even held by the Conference Staff organized in the collection
office to consider claims of such nature which, as the record shows, lasted for several
months. After inducing petitioner to delay collection as he in fact did, it is most unfair
for respondent to now take advantage of such desistance to elude his deficiency income
tax liability to the prejudice of the Government invoking the technical ground of
prescription.
While we may agree with the Court of Tax Appeals that a mere request for
reexamination or reinvestigation may not have the effect of suspending the running of
the period of limitation for in such case there is need of a written agreement to extend
the period between the Collector and the taxpayer, there are cases however where a
taxpayer may be prevented from setting up the defense of prescription even if he has not
previously waived it in writing as when by his repeated requests or positive acts the
Government has been, for good reasons, persuaded to postpone collection to make him
feel that the demand was not unreasonable or that no harassment or injustice is meant by
the Government. And when such situation comes to pass there are authorities that hold,
based on weighty reasons, that such an attitude or behavior should not be countenanced
if only to protect the interest of the Government.
This case has no precedent in this jurisdiction for it is the first time that such has risen,
but there are several precedents that may be invoked in American jurisprudence. As Mr.
Justice Cardozo has said: "The applicable principle is fundamental and unquestioned.
‘He who prevents a thing from being done may not avail himself of the nonperformance
which he has himself occasioned, for the law says to him in effect "this is your own act,
and therefore you are not damnified."’ "(R. H. Stearns Co. vs. U.S., 78 L. ed., 647). Or,
as was aptly said, "The tax could have been collected, but the government withheld
action at the specific request of the plaintiff. The plaintiff is now estopped and should
not be permitted to raise the defense of the Statute of Limitations." [Newport Co. vs.
U.S., (DC-WIS), 34 F. Supp. 588].21
Conversely, in this case, the assessments were issued beyond the prescribed period.
Also, there is no showing that respondent made any request to persuade the BIR to
postpone the issuance of the assessments.
The doctrine of estoppel cannot be applied in this case as an exception to the statute of
limitations on the assessment of taxes considering that there is a detailed procedure for
the proper execution of the waiver, which the BIR must strictly follow. As we have often
said, the doctrine of estoppel is predicated on, and has its origin in, equity which,
broadly defined, is justice according to natural law and right. 22 As such, the doctrine of
estoppel cannot give validity to an act that is prohibited by law or one that is against
public policy.23 It should be resorted to solely as a means of preventing injustice and
should not be permitted to defeat the administration of the law, or to accomplish a wrong
or secure an undue advantage, or to extend beyond them requirements of the transactions
in which they originate.24 Simply put, the doctrine of estoppel must be sparingly
applied.
Moreover, the BIR cannot hide behind the doctrine of estoppel to cover its failure to
comply with RMO 20-90 and RDAO 05-01, which the BIR itself issued. As stated
earlier, the BIR failed to verify whether a notarized written authority was given by the
respondent to its accountant, and to indicate the date of acceptance and the receipt by the
respondent of the waivers. Having caused the defects in the waivers, the BIR must bear
the consequence. It cannot shift the blame to the taxpayer. To stress, a waiver of the
statute of limitations, being a derogation of the taxpayer’s right to security against
prolonged and unscrupulous investigations, must be carefully and strictly construed.25
As to the alleged delay of the respondent to furnish the BIR of the required documents,
this cannot be taken against respondent. Neither can the BIR use this as an excuse for
issuing the assessments beyond the three-year period because with or without the
required documents, the CIR has the power to make assessments based on the best
evidence obtainable.26
WHEREFORE, the petition is DENIED. The assailed Decision dated March 30, 2007
and Resolution dated May 18, 2007 of the Court of Tax Appeals are
hereby AFFIRMED.
SO ORDERED.
MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLO
Associate Justice
WE CONCUR:
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Associate Justice
Chairperson
 ARTURO D. BRION ROBERTO A. ABAD
Associate Justice Associate Justice
JOSE PORTUGAL PEREZ
Associate Justice
ATT E S TAT I O N
I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation
before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court’s Division.
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Associate Justice
Chairperson, Second Division
C E R T I F I CAT I O N
Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution, and the Division Chairperson’s
attestation, it is hereby certified that the conclusions in the above Decision had been
reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the
Court’s Division.
REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice
Footnotes
1 Republic of the Phils. v. Ablaza, 108 Phil. 1105, 1108 (1960).
2 Rollo, pp. 31-45; penned by Associate Justice Lovell R. Bautista and concurred
in by Associate Justices Juanito C. Castañeda, Jr., Erlinda P. Uy, Caesar A.
Casanova and Olga Palanca-Enriquez. Presiding Justice Ernesto D. Acosta was on
leave.
3 Id., at 46-50; penned by Associate Justice Lovell R. Bautista and concurred in
by Presiding Justice Ernesto D. Acosta and Associate Justices Juanito C.
Castañeda, Jr., Erlinda P. Uy, Caesar A. Casanova and Olga Palanca-Enriquez.
4 Records, pp. 227-228.
5 Id. at 229-230.
6 Id. at 18-21.
7 Id. at 1-17.
8 Id. at 161-165.
9 Id. at 219-226.
10 Id. at 259-266.
11 Id. at 265.
12 Id. at 294-296.
13 Rollo, pp. 42-43.
14 Id. at 17.
15 SEC. 203. Period of Limitation Upon Assessment and Collection. — Except as
provided in Section 222, internal revenue taxes shall be assessed within three (3)
years after the last day prescribed by law for the filing of the return, and no
proceeding in court without assessment for the collection of such taxes shall be
begun after the expiration of such period: Provided, That in a case where a return
is filed beyond the period prescribed by law, the three (3)-year period shall be
counted from the day the return was filed. For purposes of this Section, a return
filed before the last day prescribed by law for the filing thereof shall be
considered as filed on such last day.
16 SEC. 222. Exceptions as to period of limitation of assessment and collection of
taxes. —
(a) In the case of a false or fraudulent return with intent to evade tax or of
failure to file a return, the tax may be assessed, or a proceeding in court for
the collection of such tax may be filed without assessment, at any time
within ten (10) years after the discovery of the falsity, fraud, or omission:
Provided, That in a fraud assessment which has become final and executory,
the fact of fraud shall be judicially taken cognizance of in the civil or
criminal action for the collection thereof.
(b) If before the expiration of the time prescribed in Section 203 for the
assessment of the tax, both the Commissioner and the taxpayer have agreed
in writing to its assessment after such time, the tax may be assessed within
the period agreed upon. The period so agreed upon may be extended by
subsequent written agreement made before the expiration of the period
previously agreed upon.
(c) Any internal revenue tax which has been assessed within the period of
limitation as prescribed in paragraph (a) hereof may be collected by
distraint or levy or by a proceeding in court within five (5) years following
the assessment of the tax.
(d) Any internal revenue tax, which has been assessed within the period
agreed upon as provided in paragraph (b) hereinabove, may be collected by
distraint or levy or by a proceeding in court within the period agreed upon
in writing before the expiration of the five (5)-year period. The period so
agreed upon may be extended by subsequent written agreements made
before the expiration of the period previously agreed upon.